Ecolab has reached an agreement to acquire the US operations of Swisher Hygiene for approximately $40 million in cash. Swisher Hygiene provides hygiene and sanitising solutions for the foodservice, hospitality, retail and healthcare markets.more

Messe Berlin has a new networking tool for trade visitors attending CMS Berlin 2015. Ideal for those wishing to arrive at the show fully prepared, this tool can be used to set up appointments and establish new business contacts before the event has even started.more

As students in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone begin their summer holidays, measures put in place to protect them from the Ebola virus are being credited with having helped keep classrooms free from any infections.more

The robust market for ingredients in cleaning applications is often overshadowed by that of personal care; however, the recently published 'Ingredients for Household, Industrial, and Institutional Cleaning Applications' report by international market research and management consulting firm Kline, finds that this market carries equally sustainable growth potential, with some country markets increasing at double-digit rates during the forecast period from 2014-2019.more

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Every year when our rail fares rise far more than the rate of inflation, we’re told that the nation’s railways are losing money hand over fist and there’s no alternative to exorbitant fare hikes if we want to keep the services running (and, they tell us, improving)!

Judging by the news this week, there may be another way to get the funding we need without squeezing every commuter dry…

According to figures released by Network Rail, many of our busiest stations are making a small fortune from washroom entrance charges. London Victoria is the top earner, raking in £2.3 million over the past three years; in 2013/2014 it spent £115,525 on the washrooms, while making £747,367. And the infographic here shows that it’s not alone…

If every station were to have decent facilities and charge those who need to use them, enough to make providing the service worthwhile, perhaps those of us who don’t need to use the loo too often won’t break the bank in buying our travel tickets.

Many stations charge between 30p and 50p per visit although I’m told there are some that charge as much as £1 – and those in need, pay it. The profit made is said to far outweigh the amount spent on staffing and maintaining the toilets and although I rarely use the facilities myself, those that do tell me that they’re very well maintained.

A Network Rail spokesperson is quoted in the Metro as saying: “The small charge we make for using the public toilet facilities in our stations helps to maintain them, ensures they are fully staffed and prevents misuse such as vandalism and other anti-social behaviour. Any profit from station toilets is reinvested in the railway and passenger facilities.”

My question is, if the railways can provide well maintained public washrooms AND make a profit, why can’t our local authorities? Why are our public washrooms being shut down and often sold off to housing developers, leaving the general public with nowhere to ‘go’, when they can be kept open and used to make a profit while providing an essential service – or am I missing something here?

Industry analyst firm n-tech Research has announced the release of a new report titled 'Markets for Smart Antimicrobial Coatings & Surfaces - 2015 to 2022', which predicts that the market for smart antimicrobials will grow to around $1.3 Billion by 2020.

As drug-resistant microbes and hospital-acquired infections continue to spread, smart materials are being used to combat them. This report quantifies the market for these 'smart antimicrobials', which include antimicrobial peptides, smart polymers, silver preparations and super-hydrophobic preparations. It also covers multifunctional materials that combine antimicrobial action with self-cleaning and self-healing capabilities.more

OspreyDeepclean tells us it is delighted to be able to announce a new, strengthened organisational structure following the acquisition of both OspreyDeepclean and sister company Frank GmbH, by the current management who now own the majority shareholding.

"It's a very exciting time for both companies," says Thomas Stuecken, chairman of OspreyDeepclean. "It's nice to be the bearer of good news and we are confident that, following the takeover, OspreyDeepclean will fortify its current strong position within the market.more

From centrefeed rolls and toilet tissue, light duty 5Kg sacks to extra heavy duty 20Kg sacks and mop heads with yarn of 110g to 568g, the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers' Association's (CHSA) Independent Inspector has audited over 1,400 individual products and more than 800 labels for Scheme compliance in the first half of 2015.

The inspection process was further enhanced in 2014. These enhancements mean buyers can always be confident they get what they pay for from a CHSA Accreditation Scheme member.more

HydraMaster has announced its new Master Distributor for the UK - Craig Lincoln and Carpet Cleaners World - UK. Craig has an extensive history of working alongside cleaning and restoration professionals throughout the UK and continental Europe and has now developed his own company, which will be selling HydraMaster truckmounts, accessories, tools and chemicals in the UK - both online and from the company's premises in Helston, Cornwall.more

The GMB union is accusing the Confederation of British Industry of yet again "crying wolf" over the impact the incoming National Living Wage is likely to have on companies, just like it did when the National Minimum Wage was introduced.

"When the national minimum wage was introduced, the CBI predicted that there would be substantial job losses but the number of jobs has grown by 3.9 million jobs since then," says the GMB, commenting on the recent CBI warning that a living wage will hit profits and jobs.more

Applied Chemicals International AG's new Fresh Wave IAQ is a pH-neutral gel that effectively and permanently eliminates odours at the molecular level, replacing them with a pleasant and subtle fragrance.more

OneStep, a new system for cleaning the bottom of swimming pools, has been launched by by Dr. Rauwald Reinigungssysteme off the back of a system initially developed for the environmentally-friendly and efficient cleaning of hard floor surfaces - especially porcelain stoneware tiles.

The new, tenside-free cleaners, Pool A(alkaline) and Pool S (acidic) are included on the RK register of approved products and make an excellent combination with the tried and tested Combo-Pads.more

A new document, 'Can you afford to lose 200% of your budget for every pest outbreak?' offers insights into the importance of a pest management strategy for business continuity as well as the impact on an organisation if it suffers an outbreak.

Published by Emprise, the well-known support services provider, the document shows how not having an effective strategy in place can be costly in terms time, money and reputation. It demonstrates how organisations can add value by taking a strategic approach rather than a reactive one. It also provides top tips for helping companies improve their pest management operations.more

Principle Cleaning has moved to new office premises to cater for the growth of the business. The Golden Services Award winner has relocated its head office staff from Hornsey, North London, into larger, more central offices following recruitment and business expansion.

Founded by Doug Cooke in 1989, the company has expanded significantly and now has a £30 million turnover and 1,500 staff.more

Facilities Show, the UK's largest event for the facilities management industry, has commissioned 'Protecting London', a series of videos, articles and infographics to provide an insight into how some of the most prestigious buildings and projects in the country are managed.

Using exclusive videos and interviews, the series incorporates a behind-the-scenes exploration of how the capital's most famous buildings operate. It explores how facilities, fire, security and safety functions operate and celebrates the teams that keep them running; revealing the unique challenges they face.more

Those who are out and about in the Borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal will, from next year, find it easier to visit a public loo, thanks to a new initiative that will see the city installing 12 self-cleaning public toilets over the next three years at a cost of around $1 million a year.

The budget was passed last week, despite a similar initiative last year being shelved due to a lack of bidders, but the report in CBS News says that a new call for tenders will be launched soon.more

Mitie has retained the street furniture cleaning and maintenance contract with Transport for London, in a five-year deal valued at over £16m.

This is the second time that Mitie's transport team has retained the contract, having originally won it in 2004 and keeping it in 2008. The TfL contract has enabled the team to increase by 25 members, taking the existing workforce to over 50 people.more

The countdown to one of the UK cleaning industry's most glittering events is well and truly on, and guests at next Thursday's BICSc Annual Awards can look forward to an evening of live music and entertainment, awards ceremony, auctions and late night DJ.

If you want to join them, we understand that there may still be some tickets available but you'll have to book quickly.more

Of interest no doubt to anyone involved in keeping our rail networks clean, the Working Group for Rail Vehicle Cleaning - Rail-Media Institute: VR 115 BMI, will be presenting at the upcoming CMS Berlin, a working standard that has been derived from practical experience.

The VR 115 BMI quality management standard has been developed through collaboration between science and working practice. Following an intensive development process the standard was launched in July and is being presented for the first time in Germany at CMS Berlin 2015, Hall 3.2 / Stand 102.more

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The UK's first 2theloo toilet facility - sponsored by Tork manufacturer SCA - was officially opened by Margriet Leemhuis, Deputy Head of Mission at the Dutch Embassy, in London's Covent Garden on August 26th.more

Gerwyn Davies, labour market adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development, writes in response to yesterday's Office for National Statistics report on zero-hours contracts, which have shown a modest increase:

"The latest ONS statistics suggest that there has been a further modest increase in the number of people on zero-hours contracts and a growing proportion of people on zero-hours contracts for more than a year. more

Network Rail, under the management of Mitie, the facilities management company, has become one of the first organisations in the transport sector to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for Waste certification for all of its UK corporate offices and training centres.more

The Ladder Association has launched this year's Ladder Exchange, which will run from 1st September to 31st December. Established by the Health & Safety Executive in 2007 - and now run and managed by the industry trade body - the campaign has already resulted in thousands of 'dodgy' ladders being taken out of service.more

The latest addition to Hako's impressive line-up of sweepers is to make its UK debut at the country's top event for recycling and waste management professionals. Visitors to the Hako stand at RWM (September 15th -17th at Birmingham's NEC) will be able to get a close up look at the first Citymaster 1600 Citycleaner to arrive in the country and discover why it's already creating something of a stir in the municipal arena.more

Fewer than half of businesses believe they have a duty of care to employee health, according to a recently released report from a leading expert in leadership development, with only 46% of firms regarding staff health as an employer's responsibility. This is despite the fact that 82.8% of companies believe that business performance and staff wellbeing are connected.more

The nations' cars (and that includes company cars that employees have for personal use too) are a breeding ground for bugs and dangerous bacteria, including staphylococcus and eColi, according to new research from car buying and selling website Carfused.com.more

A Warrington cleaning equipment business, which was started by three former colleagues, is on target to create new jobs and significantly increase turnover following a new funding facility from Ultimate Finance.more

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the professional membership body for pharmacists and pharmacy in Great Britain, has appointed Emprise Services to manage its cleaning and waste management services.more

Totternhoe Metal Recycling has been fined after a worker was injured whilst delivering waste metal. The 40 year old worker from Bedfordshire, who does not wish to be named, lost the top of his thumb and suffered damage to his hand and arm in the incident which happened last April at The Recycling Centre, The Lime Works in Totternhoe.more